purpose of amateur radio in cars?
- Thread starter sirsmiley
- Start date
- Status
KC0QNB
Member
I know hams that use cw in trucks, I use 2 meters in my car to talk on repeaters, beats the heck out of cb anytime, why do you ask?
are there a fair amount of people actively using it? is it worth having in a car? a cb there are a lot more people on it of all walks of life (good and bad i suppose) but amateur radio will be elitist only.... just wondering how useful it is in a car, i dont want my car to look like a radio antenna farm unless im getting something out of it
KC0QNB
Member
"but amateur radio will be elitist only" no not really after over 30 years of having two way radio capability, I decided to put a CB back in my car, it was in there about a week, I took it back out because of the crap I was hearing, there are more and more truckers that use ham radio, because there are also tired of the crap of the crap also, of course they still have their CB so they know what is going on out there.
As far as you having a ham rig on your car, that is up to you, try this first if you have a scanner take it with you next time you do a road trip down the interstate, monitor the repeaters along the way, and monitor 146.520 also, then you decide what you want to do. I apparent advantage is knowing what the weather is doing where you are headed, oh sure you can ask the trucker that was where you are headed, and do the same thing, but if he is 50 miles out the conditions probably changed if the weather not ideal.
With two meter capability you can monitor what is current by checking with someone a repeater, heck for that matter, there may be a bridge washed out 75 miles ahead, with a cb you may not hear about it, until it is two late to take an alternate route.
Besides what's wrong with a mobile antenna farm? I know a ham that has no less than 20 antennas on his minivan yeah that is over kill, why have 20 when three or four, HF one antenna, 6 meters one antenna, 2 meter/440 one antenna and 800-900 mHz, one antenna, you can condense this to two antennas, if you are lucky and have the cash.
Gotta go to work with my two antenna mobile antenna farm (not including broadcast)
Cheers
As far as you having a ham rig on your car, that is up to you, try this first if you have a scanner take it with you next time you do a road trip down the interstate, monitor the repeaters along the way, and monitor 146.520 also, then you decide what you want to do. I apparent advantage is knowing what the weather is doing where you are headed, oh sure you can ask the trucker that was where you are headed, and do the same thing, but if he is 50 miles out the conditions probably changed if the weather not ideal.
With two meter capability you can monitor what is current by checking with someone a repeater, heck for that matter, there may be a bridge washed out 75 miles ahead, with a cb you may not hear about it, until it is two late to take an alternate route.
Besides what's wrong with a mobile antenna farm? I know a ham that has no less than 20 antennas on his minivan yeah that is over kill, why have 20 when three or four, HF one antenna, 6 meters one antenna, 2 meter/440 one antenna and 800-900 mHz, one antenna, you can condense this to two antennas, if you are lucky and have the cash.
Gotta go to work with my two antenna mobile antenna farm (not including broadcast)
Cheers
I run a mobile HF, Talk with europe on the way to work, south america on the way home. Chat with locals on 40 and 80m all the time.
'Ham radio in a car' is a pretty broad term. That could cover anything from a 2-meter HT stuck in a cup holder to a full-blown HF station with a KW amplifier mounted in the trunk. I know folks on both extremes. Currently, I have a Kenwood D-700A mounted in my pickup with a Garmin GPS18 to provide the positioning info for APRS. The radio scans all of the 2-meter repeater channels and about 40 public safety frequencies and a half dozen aircraft freqs. In the past, I've had variety of HF radio installations, and have a couple of dozen countries worked from the mobile, including Norfolk Island in the deep South Pacific near Australia. A lot of my HF mobile activity has been on CW. Whether it's worth the cost and effort depends on how serious you are about amateur radio and how much time you spend in your vehicle. Amateur radio is only 'elite' in the sense that licensed hams have at least proven they can read and write, skills obviously lacking in some, but not all, CBers.
its just what your into.
I think thats fascinating just by a little box with a screen and a metal stick on your car.
Has anyone read Popular Science recently?
In their last issue, researchers are researching the ionosphere for radio researching stuff
IF you don't want to get involved with amateur radio then please DO NOT. You do not need to ask others if you are really not interested. The hams don't need an uninterested member that only wants to know what amateur radio can do for them. Stay with cb, the "elitist" hams don't need another like you.
Last edited:
N8IAA
Member
Do you chase skip with the cb on SSB, or AM when the band opens?? I know that on 75 phone there are those hams who crank up 2Kw and think they own the band. I know that on 11m AM and SSB there are those who crank up anywhere from 100w to a 1Kw to impress all of us with their operating prowess. All of radio has the bad ones who make stand out like a sore thumb. I used to talk to England on 10m with 5w and less when the band was open. I didn't study to get my cb license, but, passed my novice and 5wpm cw to become a ham. I am now a general class licensee and am happy with my accomplishment. Been hamming for over 23 years and have no intention of not doing it for a long time to come. I used to storm chase until a storm chased me. My wife would drive and I would spot for the NWS. I used to work the ham station at the airport for the NWS until they found out getting a ticket wasn't as hard as meteorology. I wouldn't be without a mobile or ht in the car on a trip. There is always someone to talk to when the ride starts getting long.
Am I an 'elitist'? Nah, just a happy ham who loves to listen to scanners too
)Larry
Last edited:
af5rn
Member
Exactly. WTF is "elite" in passing a test that my 12 year old sister-in-law can pass with no studying or prior knowledge, just by guessing? Unlike in years past, new, no-code users come here everyday asking basic questions of radio theory that even the average CBer knew back in the 70s. Nobody studies electronics or communications theory to become a Ham anymore. They just memorise a test question pool over a weekend. Elite? Puhleeze. Ham radio is dying, but it sure isn't elitism that is doing it.
K4DHR
Member
I suspect he's probably referring to the minority out there that thinks anyone that doesn't learn Morse Code isn't a real amateur operator. To the OP, don't characterize the entire hobby because of a few people. I've had my ticket for close to 10 years now and have on occasion been berated because I thought it was a good thing that the FCC dropped the CW requirement to operate on HF. I just pay them no attention and go about my way. There are plenty of others that welcome my interest on whatever level it is.
The purpose of HAM radio in cars is to talk about the brand, model, type, power. antenna and cost of the HAM radio that they just put in their car or are thinking of putting in their car or their friend has in his car. No offense intended.
HAM radio is 99.9% talking about your own radios. Thats why they call it Ham Radio- that is the conveyance, the Idolic focus and basically the only topic of conversation.
HAM radio should be more aptly named- 'My Radio'...because that is where it all start and ends.
BTW, CW by the driver in a moving is vehicle is likely illegal in most states that prohibit texting while driving. Waiting to see the first test case come down the line.
HAM radio is 99.9% talking about your own radios. Thats why they call it Ham Radio- that is the conveyance, the Idolic focus and basically the only topic of conversation.
HAM radio should be more aptly named- 'My Radio'...because that is where it all start and ends.
BTW, CW by the driver in a moving is vehicle is likely illegal in most states that prohibit texting while driving. Waiting to see the first test case come down the line.
They use it for whatever they want to. I talk to friends daily on the commute to work. I have HF for when I want to play with that. It's purely for entertainment. I also routinely travel well outside cellphone coverage in remote areas, having HF may be a lifeline to get help.
You're imagining wrong. I routinely work dx from the car, and in my half hour drive home have worked Europe, Japan, South America, and many of the Pacific islands.
It's highly unlikely that someone would get caught. My keyer is down low, between the seats, and I can be working cw while driving right next to a cop, and he'd have no clue. BTW, I copy in my head... the notepad is for writing details down for logging afterthe contact is over.
Don_Burke
Member
nice troll!
Its funny how people post things they have absolutely no clue about.
If the OP (or anyone else) is interested in Amateur Radio, this upcoming weekend you should be able to find someone operating out in the open almost anywhere in North America. This upcoming weekend is Field Day, and although it ends up being a contest for a lot of folks, it really is about promoting the hobby and practicing operating under "field" conditions.
Here is a link to find a Field Day station near you.
Hmm, elite? I just use my Ham rig for storm spotting, not chasing btw. Saving lives is what Ham is all about. Don't worry, you wouldn't be able to pass the test anyway.
- Status